Distracted Driving Laws Reduce Teen Fatalities, Study Shows

A Pediatrics study, “Distracted Driving Laws and Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities,” found that states with primarily enforced texting bans had lower crash fatality rates overall involving 16-19-year-old drivers. The study, published in the June 2020 Pediatrics (published online May 15), reviewed 38,215 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. involving drivers and passengers between 2007-2017, as reported by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The incidence of fatal deaths from motor vehicle crashes was highest for 19-year-old drivers. The overall incidence of fatal crash rate was 20.1/100,000. Fatal crashes involving teenage drivers increased with each year of age, from a low of 10.7/100,000 persons 16 years old to a high of 27.2/100,000 persons 19 years old. Over the study period, the number of states with any type of distracted driving law increased from 15 in 2007 to 47 in 2017. During this time, rates of fatal MVCs involving 16-19 year old drivers decreased by nearly a third. The authors suggest advocating for and implementing effective primary legislation banning handheld cellphone use for all ages.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.